On Marathon route, veterans seek to raise money and awareness to stop suicides

Sunday

Mar 30, 2014 at 12:30 AMMar 30, 2014 at 12:07 PM

By Chris BergeronDaily News Staff

NATICK – Propelling his wheelchair with his strong arms, veteran Jason Wheeler led a soldier and citizen army of "ruckers'' and their supporters along the Boston Marathon route yesterday to raise awareness and funds to stop the growing number of veteran suicides.They walked, jogged, rolled and "rucked'' – a form of military marching carrying backpacks weighing as much as 70 pounds – to raise money for the nonprofit Active Heroes to build a retreat center in Kentucky to help veterans suffering from post traumatic stress and their families.Sgt. Chris Helms wore his camouflaged uniform and carried a 50-pound pack. Army veteran Andre Beauregard wore a red, white and blue tutu and came "to show my support.'' Kathleen White, who suffered hearing loss and other injuries operating a .50-caliber machine gun in Iraq, rode a recumbent bicycle.Leaving at 6 a.m. from the Marathon starting line, 73 ruckers and an equal number of supporters stopped briefly at the Natick VFW to honor veterans who had fallen in foreign wars and the war on terror and offer a moment of silence for veterans who are taking their own lives in alarming numbers.One of their leaders, Capt. Justin Fitch, who is stationed at Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center, said an average of 22 veterans of all ages commit suicide each day for a multitude of reasons as the U.S. fights "the longest war in our history," referring to Afghanistan.Living with stage four colon cancer, Fitch, 31, said he had joined the ruck because "I want to do something to save my brothers- and sisters-in-arms.''"If we can just save one person, we will have accomplished something,'' he said before addressing the crowd.Fitch stood by a memorial honoring Natick residents who had fallen in 20th-century foreign wars and veterans with connections to Massachusetts who died in the war on terror and spoke to the crowd."Twenty-two vets a day. One hundred and fifty-four vets a week. Six hundred and seventy-one month. More than 8,000 veterans a year are taking their lives,'' said Fitch. "We must let everyone know it's OK to ask for help. I've sought help. I've been in dark places. ‘'He said he'd been comforted by visiting the 144-acre site in Shepherdsville, Ky., which will eventually feature sports and fitness activities and a welcome center, classroom and cabins."I've been overwhelmed by stress, cancer, by life,'' he said. "I felt easier there.''Taking a break, an exhausted Wheeler lay in the grass beside his wheelchair, drinking water. He pointed to his bandaged foot and said part of a toe had recently been removed due to an infection.A Navy and Army veteran, he lost the use of his legs parachuting from a helicopter while serving with the 1/509th Airborne Infantry recon team."I'm a little tired but it's worth it,'' said the 42-year-old Merrimack, N.H., resident. "It's the least I can do when you consider what those guys and gals who are serving go through.''Several VFW officers, commander Kenny Gidney, adjutant Rick Smudin, quartermaster Byron Prescott, and 91-year-old World War II and Korean War veteran Harry Seaholm greeted the group when thy arrived about 9:15 a.m."Veterans help veterans,'' said Gidney.After attending several workshops on the subject, Natick veterans director Paul Carew said there was "no single cause'' for the growing number of suicides among active duty personnel and retired members."There's so many factors. But many have spoken of the impact of multiple deployments on veterans and their families. They learn to survive in combat. They come home and try to adjust to a different way of life. Then they get deployed again. It's hard on them,'' he said.Preparing to move out, Staff Sgt. Josh Janzen, who's stationed in Natick, said the 50-pound pack he carried "was lighter than a combat load and nobody's shooting at me.''After Franklin and Fitch spoke, more than a dozen ruckers and supporters gathered around the memorial and led the group in a chorus of three shouts: "We carry the fallen.''"Move out,'' someone shouted. "Next stop is Heartbreak Hill.''As the group began moving out, Jason Syriac, a 20-year-veteran and former Army sergeant, roused his golden retriever Rosco who was trained to provide therapeutic companionship to veterans with PTSD."I'm here for my fellow soldiers,'' said Syriac, rolling up his sleeve to reveal a quote attributed to Plato tattooed on his arm: "Only the dead have seen the end of war.''For information about Active Heroes, visit http://fundraise.activeheroes.org/fundraise/team?ftid=24908.Chris Bergeron is a Daily News staff writer. Contact him at cbergeron@wickedlocal.com or 508-626-4448. Follow us on Twitter @WickedLocalArts and on Facebook.